1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for visualizing the presence and/or distribution of a liquid on a microtiter plate, microscope slide, glass cover slip or other laboratory member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Microtiter plates are typically multi-well devices used primarily in biochemical analyses, particularly assays using the so-called ELISA techniques. Each well in the plate may receive a sample of a serum or other liquid under test. Suitable additional reagents may be added to the wells, either individually or "en masse," using hand held or automatic pipesetting techniques. Thereafter, following appropriate incubation and washing stages, the results of the biochemical reaction produced by the introduction of the reagent into the well may be automatically or manually monitored.
It is also common practice in a laboratory setting to use a so-called cover slip, or very thin glass plate akin to a microscope slide, to carry a liquid medium or sample for reaction with, for example, fixed cells and for subsequent microscopial examination.
Presently difficulty attends the determination as to whether a particular well in a microtiter plate or portion of a glass slip has a liquid sample disposed thereon. Further, it is often important to have a visual estimate of the relative volume and uniformity of distribution of liquid on the slip.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing, it is believed to be advantageous to provide an inexpensive, easy-to-use arrangement operable with a cover slip, microscope slide, microtiter plate or other laboratory member to provide an indication as to the presence, uniformity of distribution and, in some instances, relative volume of liquid in or on the same.